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uzumaki-rebellion · 4 years ago

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“Black Boys Bloom Thorns First: Volume 2 Chapter 30″

One more chapter left!!!

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"Listen to me

Understand me

Listen to me

The truth is talking

The truth speaks

Children come to listen

Listen to me

A revolution is truly starting…"

Boukman Eksperyans—"Listen to Me"

Califia could hear the shaky anger coursing through Soliel's voice as she sat inside the meticulously cleaned community center. The scattered voices they heard outside the building had all the people inside jumpy and anxious.

The words coming from Soliel's mouth were harsh. It was a battle cry. They needed guidance. Elders from the Candomble community that Soliel's family was a part of came through for a short meeting. There was talk of holding a ceremony, calling down orixás, and doing the spiritual work to prepare for an earthly battle if it came down to that. There was even talk of revenge although the actual words were not used in such an open space among the spiritual elders. A Priestess prayed over them, and as the ancient words bound them as sisters in the struggle for freedom Califia held onto a new hope with N'Jobu's help.

When the followers of the orixás vacated the premises leaving the small core group of organizers behind, it all went wrong. So wrong.

Soliel shared the full names of the police who were responsible for the death of Lia and her two companions on that fateful day. Hearing who the killers were turned them into solid beings and not the whispered boogeymen Califia had been carrying around for over a year. They went to share a meal at a corner café and when they returned to the center, their private meeting was disrupted with the arrival of the police.

Stalking into the room like they owned everything, a ruddy-faced man with rubbery lips confronted Soliel with a warrant to search the premises and to also bring her in for questioning.

"For what?!" Soliel hissed.

Aujanue was right behind her staring at the warrant the man held up.

"Illegal weapons."

A slick smile plastered the policeman's lips and Califia recognized the same power trip cops had the world over. Their might alone made them right.

Soliel threw the warrant on the ground and the policeman grabbed her. That was all it took before the four other officers present started a bigger scuffle and Califia jumped right in fighting them.

Screaming.

So much screaming.

There were only six women and two men in the building there for their meeting, and the two men who supported Soliel tried their best to ward off the man-handling of the women. Califia let punches and kicks from her feet connect onto aggressive bodies that wanted them gone. All the rage she held inside for her family came out and she brutalized one officer who was shocked that she was beating his muscled ass.

She saw him reach for his gun and she sideswiped it out of his hands with a hard slice of her foot. It clattered along the floor and Soliel picked it up and aimed it at the out of breath officer.

"Soliel!" Califia yelled at her sister-cousin.

Soliel's eyes were ablaze, her right hand shook as she pointed it at the man's head.

More guns were drawn, and vicious yelling from all the officers to calm down. One of the male supporters ran away and the police circled the room trying to keep order. A female officer slid her hand up to speak into her shoulder radio calling for back up.

"Don't do anything you'll regret," Aujanue spat out to the officers.

"You do anything to us and the world will know this was retaliation for the march today," Califia said. She kept her voice even though she wanted to scream at them.

Soliel eyed a cop near the entrance.

"You are one of the men who set my sister up," Soliel said.

Soliel's eyes darted around the room. The one female supporter who was left with them stood terrified watching them all as she held her hands in the air. The cops couldn't do anything with Soleil holding down one of their men with the gun in her hand. All they needed was one excuse to blast them all. As much as she wanted them dead, Califia thought of Erik and N'Jobu. They were going to live a new life. Revenge would be better with advanced weapons and N'Jobu's skills. Justice would come but now was not the time. Not when her little boy and her husband needed her. The mother of revenge was patience, and patience is what Califia leaned into.

"Put down the gun!" an officer shouted.

"You put down your weapons first," Soleil yelled back. She cocked the gun in her hand and jammed it into the forehead of the officer to make her point.

"Alright! Alright!"

The officers backed up and placed their weapons on the ground.

"If they arrest us, they will jam us up—"

"I know," Soliel muttered.

Henrique, their only male supporter left in the room gave Califia a look. His car was parked in the back. If they could just get to the back door, they could make a run for it.

Califia turned her head so that only Soliel and Aunjanue could hear her.

"Henrique's car is in the back. We can get out of here and call your father."

Soliel's face was stone. Aunjanue's face was flushed.

Califia thought of Erik. And Marisol.

"We have to get back to our babies," she said, feeling her eyes well up. She was so tired of fighting. Over and over again. It was the same fight, just a different day on a different continent.

"We haven't done anything wrong," Soliel said with a harsh tone in her voice.

"We're good. We just need to get out of here. Let Pai call the lawyer after we contact him," Califia said.

Califia turned her eyes to Henrique and spoke to him in English.

"You have your car keys?"

Henrique nodded.

Califia saw Soliel's hand tremble.

"We got this," Califia encouraged.

"Go!" Soliel said.

Aunjanue and the others headed toward the back door with slow methodical steps.

The cop that Soliel had her gun trained on lunged for his weapon. Califia ran up and kicked him in the face, sending him back on his ass. The other cops took that distraction as an opportunity to retrieve their weapons. Califia grabbed the gun off the floor that belonged to the female cop and shot over all their heads to keep them frozen. Soliel dashed out wiping and tossing the gun she had on top of the roof of another building.

They heard sirens in the front and orders barked from a megaphone. A loud shriek of, "They're shooting inside!" was the last thing Califia heard.

Running behind Soliel, Califia kept shooting above their heads until all the bullets were gone. Jamming herself in the backseat last, Henrique gunned his green Chevrolet out of the back-parking space.

"Fuck!" Califia yelled.

Her heart raced and she looked at her hands. She still held the gun in a tight grip. Wiping it down with her shirt she realized it was futile. She already had gun powder on her skin.

"Give it to me."

Antonia, a close friend of Soliel's took the weapon from her.

"I'll get rid of it," she whispered patting Califia's hands.

"We have to split up," Soliel said.

Henrique nodded, and they made their way further away from the heart of the city with the sounds of more sirens wailing far behind them.

###

Califia found comfort lying on N'Jobu. He stroked her forehead as he listened to her.

"We didn't kill anyone, N'Jobu. They lied about that. One of the cops there must've shot that man when they fired from outside. We only shot at the ceiling to keep them from moving on us."

N'Jobu lifted her chin.

"It wouldn't matter to me if you killed any of them," he said.

"A part of me wanted to, but I wasn't in any position to do that. They arrived out of the blue and started everything. We just wanted to get out of there and be back with our kids."

"Speak of it no more. It is done," he said.

"I will tell Erik what happened," she whispered.

"Don't worry about that."

The hum of the ship was so soothing. She glanced around and still couldn't fathom that she was on a flying warship that shouldn't even exist. And all the soldiers on board kowtowing to her man? It was thrilling. And so sexy.

Telling N'Jobu everything made the fear dissipate. She could breathe so much easier. All the worry and angst about how they would get out of Brazil was moot. Her man summoned an aircraft and whisked them away from danger. She could fully embrace the idea of a revolution if this was the type of war machine he had access to all over the world. Nothing on earth from any military could compare to this.

She sat up and his eyes watched her with quiet curiosity. She stroked his face.

Fearless.

That's what she felt in her body.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

"I love you so much…Jobu…"

Closing her eyes, she let him rock her in his arms.

She slept for a few hours and when N'Jobu shook her awake, she glanced around for their son.

"Where's Erik?" she asked

N'Jobu took her by her hand and led her back to where Captain Yonela was piloting the ship. Erik was curled up on the floating chair that was in a horizontal position in a deep sleep.

"Good Morning, Your Highness. Lady Califia," Yonela said with a smile.

N'Jobu lifted Erik up in his arms.

"You can leave him there, Prince N'Jobu. He is not bothering me while sleeping."

"I am sure Lt. Deyi would like his station back," N'Jobu said.

"Erik has only been asleep for an hour. He wanted to see everything," Yoneli said.

Lt. Deyi stepped forward.

"Your Highness, your family may take my quarters. I have prepared the space for you."

"Thank you, Lt. Deyi," N'Jobu said.

"I will have the morning meal brought to you within the hour. Please follow me."

Califia followed along with N'Jobu as Lt. Deyi led them through the ship to his quarters located on another upper level. They rode on an elevator that was whisper-quiet and as they moved about, Califia could see the pride and deference the crew had for N'Jobu. She also noticed their slick glances turned her way and toward Erik.

"You may change the entry code," Lt. Deyi said.

N'Jobu used his thumbprint on a small sensor and a silver-blue door slid open.

The quarters were clean and tastefully decorated. It felt like a tiny studio apartment and Califia guessed they spent a lot of time flying around the earth to have a military bedroom decorated like a real home.

"Make yourselves comfortable. I'll send a reminder when your meal is on the way."

Lt Deyi gave a slight bow and left them alone. N'Jobu put Erik under the covers of a full-size bed. Califia took a seat on a small couch facing an open view panel window. She could see the sun rising and caught the twinkling lights of a city down below them. N'Jobu waved his hand on a monitor embedded in a small neat work desk.

"We are flying over Sao Luis," N'Jobu said.

He checked on Erik and walked over to her. She watched him stare out at the world.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

He turned to look at her and then plopped down on the couch.

"I'm tired. More mental fatigue than physical."

She held his hand.

"They won't tell on you, will they?" she asked.

Her eyes darted over to Erik as he rolled over on the bed. She waited to see if he would wake up, but his snores told her he was still down for the count. N'Jobu watched him too.

"They will not."

"Should we tell Erik not to call you Baba?"

"Do not worry, Califia."

"I can't help it. I don't want you to get in trouble. I don't want someone here to snitch and ruin your plans—"

"Califia. Stop."

He touched her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

"Would you like to sleep more? I can postpone our morning meal."

"I'm actually hungry," she said.

Sitting together they watched the view and Califia luxuriated in his touches on her shoulder as she leaned into him.

"Things are so different, N'Jobu. I'm feeling so many different things at once. My brain can't turn off."

"While you were asleep, I contacted your father and Andres. They know we are safe and they are spreading the word. Soliel and Aunjanue made it to a safe house. They will take Marisol there in a few days. The police are searching high and low for all of you. Andres has contacted a lawyer."

"Are they blaming us for the death?"

"Yes."

Califia closed her eyes.

"My mother will go off on my father—"

"Dante will handle it."

"Will I be safe in the States?"

"Your name has not come up yet."

Califia heard N'Jobu's name over an intercom and he stood up.

"Our food will be here soon—"

"Food?"

Erik sat up from under the covers and stared at them.

"Hungry, JaJa?" she asked.

He nodded and looked around.

"Baba brought you in here," she said when she caught the confusion on his face. He slipped out of the bed and padded over to them.

"The bathroom is over there," N'Jobu said pointing to a door in a corner.

Erik used the restroom and they heard him wash his hands.

"Cool bathroom," he said walking out and looking around the quarters.

A knock at the door alerted them that the food had arrived.

A young female soldier with close-cropped wavy brown hair entered the room pushing a silver service trolley stacked with covered trays and large metal pitchers of juice and water. The young woman looked around the room and spoke to N'Jobu in Wakandan. He pointed to a space in front of the large view screen window and she rolled the trolley next to it. Her military uniform looked crisp, the grayish-blue colors bright against her unblemished medium brown skin.

"Ngaba unayo iti?" Erik said.

The soldier stopped and regarded her son's face. A wide smile spread across her lips.

"Ewe," the soldier said. She reached down on the bottom tray and pulled up a silver container housing several different tea bags.

N'Jobu grinned.

"Mmm,…you speak my language very well," the soldier said. Her face grew a little flustered. She glanced at N'Jobu and spoke to him then watched Erik's face again.

"She wants to know what kind of tea you like. She can bring you more," N'Jobu said.

"Bomvu," Erik said.

"Bomvu. Kulungile," the soldier said.

The soldier nodded her head and left their quarters.

"Red tea," Erik said when Califia stared at him trying to understand, "Want some, Mom?"

She nodded and N'Jobu fixed them hot red tea in small fancy-looking earthen cups decorated in streaks of blue that matched the color of the tattoos inside Erik and N'Jobu's mouth.

"Wow!" Califia exclaimed when N'Jobu handed them each their own individual food tray and they lifted the protective covering.

"A feast!" Erik exclaimed digging in.

There were fruits that Califia had never seen before sliced up on a plate that she tried first. One had the texture of a mango but the color of ripe watermelon that tasted like kiwi and raspberries. Another was fried like a plantain and tasted of one too, except it was bright green like a lime. There were fried and baked bread sliced thick and sprinkled with a lump of powdery sugar, and generous cuts of grilled pork medallions with seasoned fried red potatoes and onions. A small bowl of clear savory broth with small pieces of sautéed mushrooms and leeks rounded out the meal.

"This is a typical Wakandan breakfast,' N'Jobu said.

They all tucked in and everything was delicious.

N'Jobu placed the food trolley outside of the quarters when they were finished as Erik stared at the land down below in the view screen.

"Are we invisible to them, Baba?"

N'Jobu stood next to Erik.

"Yes."

"But can't radar track us?"

"No. The vibranium protects us from that. It is woven throughout the ship."

"The uniforms too, huh?"

"Yes."

Erik seemed pleased with the knowledge.

A knock at the entrance made them all look in that direction.

"Enter," N'Jobu said.

Captain Yonela stepped in carrying more garments.

"Prince N'Jobu, hopefully, something in here fits Erik so he may shower. You can also clean your regular clothes in the hypercleaner."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Was your morning meal satisfactory?"

"It was. Thank you, Captain," Califia said.

"I am glad. Your Highness, when you have time, I would like to have a private word with you after morning muster. I have arranged for Lady Califia and Prince…Erik…I have arranged for them to be given a tour of the ship during our talk. If that is acceptable."

N'Jobu looked back at her and Califia nodded. Erik seemed excited.

"Good. Shall we meet outside in thirty minutes?" Yoneli asked.

"See you then," N'Jobu said.

Califia took the extra clothing and sent Erik to go bathe and change.

###

The battleship was massive. Six different levels with a roof that housed smaller fighter aircraft. They learned that the ship was also amphibious. Wide-eyed and full of questions, Erik talked the ear off of their guide, a kind-faced Sergeant in his mid-thirties with a full beard and tight cornrows on his scalp. The young female soldier who brought their meal joined them for the last leg of their tour as they were allowed to walk outside of the craft enveloped inside a protective gravity bubble. Standing at the front of the aircraft, they were overwhelmed at the ability to be flying so high above a country and outside of the ship.

Sergeant Funan and Airmen Sizani enjoyed Erik's enthusiasm, and their English helped Califia keep up with all the key details. There was so much to see, and Erik's eyes went even wider when he was taken to the engine room and shown the vibranium power source. Califia could only watch in awe as her son tossed out science and technical terms, his questions full of specificity. The ship was the size of five aircraft carriers stacked on top of each other but held only one thousand crewmen and women. Large, deadly, and efficient. How many of these things had flown over her city when she was growing up? How many times had she seen some weird light play in the sky and waved it off as light pollution or shooting stars?

They rejoined N'Jobu for lunch but were allowed to eat in the main mess hall with the rest of the soldiers. The moment she saw N'Jobu, he clasped her hand in his and walked her and Erik to the front of the hall. Everyone in the space stood up as they passed by. When they joined Captain Yoneli at her table, all eyes waited for N'Jobu to permit them all to be seated. He held up his hand and spoke in his language.

The lunch meal was just as tasty and filling as the morning meal. Airman Sizani became Califia and Erik's liaison. More confident in her English now that she had spent a couple of hours with them, she was able to translate the chatter around them.

The big brass at Captain Yoneli's table was attentive to Erik, and Califia knew it was because they were all curious to know about the secret Prince of Wakanda. She could feel the shock and curiosity around her. When the meal was over, Captain Yoneli addressed the mess hall, and then N'Jobu stood to speak.

"Oh," Sizani said, her eyes darting toward Califia. She seemed embarrassed by whatever N'Jobu was saying.

"What is it?" Califia asked.

"Prince N'Jobu just told our entire crew who you and Erik are," Captain Yoneli said.

Califia felt her face get warm. She stared down at her finished plate of food.

N'Jobu motioned for Erik to stand next to him as he continued speaking. She could feel eyes on her and then N'Jobu was reaching his hand toward her.

"Come here, Califia," N'Jobu said.

She felt underdressed in the soft cotton garments she wore, and she tried smoothing back her hair. N'Jobu held her hand and squeezed it. His voice was loud and strong. She kept her eyes on him, pushing away all the hundreds of eyes staring at her face. When he finished speaking, he kissed her cheek and the soldiers all stood facing them.

"Wakanda ngonaphakade!" They all shouted, their arms crossing over their chests.

"Wakanda Forever," Erik whispered.

Captain Yoneli stood up as N'Jobu led them out of the mess hall.

"Wakanda ngonaphakade!"

"N'Jobu, what did you tell them," she asked.

They boarded an elevator and zipped up to their quarters.

N'Jobu waited for Captain Yoneli to leave before he answered her.

"I told them who you are. You and Erik. I let them know what happened to you and Erik in Sao Paulo, your work, and what our mission is now that they know my most precious secret. They know the future of Wakanda is in their hands."

N'Jobu rubbed Erik's hair, and their son grabbed for his hand and held it.

"My son. Everyone aboard this battle cruiser knows you are their Prince. They have sworn themselves to you and your mother. Do you understand what that means?"

Erik nodded.

"You must carry yourself at all times like the royalty you are. You are an Udaku. We are a powerful family. You stand tall…with dignity and pride…"

Erik's eyes shone so bright as he watched his father speak. She could see his little chest puffing up as he hung on to every word his father said.

"Califia, they know you as Lady Califia. My wife. You can walk around this ship as if you were a Queen. They see you as such. Understand?"

She nodded.

"Prince N'Jobu, may I see you at the helm? It is urgent."

Captain Yoneli's voice held a bit of strain in it as it called over an intercom. The lighting inside the room changed. Califia and Erik went to the window. The calm and soothing neon blue glow that surrounded the ship had shifted into a darker more menacing blue color.

"What's happening?" Califia asked.

"Stay put. I'll be right back."

Califia grabbed his hand. They could feel the ship slowing down.

"Don't leave this room," N'Jobu said firmly.

He changed into his cleaned clothes and headed out.

Erik's fingers touched the viewscreen window and Califia stood next to him wondering what had just happened.

###

The warning lights of the ship let N'Jobu know that something outside the craft was amiss. He was followed by three soldiers that waited for him outside of his quarters.

Reaching the helm, Captain Yoneli led him to the war room. Seven of her top lead soldiers waited for her. Three women, three men, and a non-binary soldier who waved their hand across a 4D table map in the middle of the room.

"Speak," N'Jobu said to the Captain.

"We have been given a directive to stay put off the coast of Guyana. King T'Chaka has ordered battle cruisers to remain in position for a week until further notice."

"Why?"

N'Jobu studied the 4D image of the entire globe. He could see where all fifty-two battle cruisers were deployed along with the forty smaller assault ships that circulated the planet over various countries.

"The Atlanteans have threatened some assault cruisers over the Indian Ocean two hundred miles off the coast of Madagascar and also in the South Atlantic Ocean. Not too far from Argentina. No attacks on this side yet, but some warning shots were given. We are to watch the waters. We'll go amphib within the next half hour. Somehow, they have developed tech to sense our presence in the air. They aren't accurate with it, hence the missed shots. Underwater we are still better undetected by them."

"Are we at war with them?"

"No. It's a territorial dispute. We have no international treaties with them, so they have been challenging our use of open waters for training and land expansion."

"Land Expansion? King T'Chaka is really considering that?"

"There has been talk of building a new underwater city and military installation. Wakanda grows. There is only so much space where we can expand on our land, Your Highness."

N'Jobu shook his head. He wished his father had considered diplomatic ties with the Atlanteans, but they were an aggressive people, and also very little was known of their vast empire that was rumored to cross every sea and ocean.

"Prince N'Jobu, we will not be able to meet your rendezvous plan with the Royal Shadow Fighter in the time you wanted to get back into the United States. All military transports and ships are being watched carefully. It will look suspicious if aircraft don't follow alert protocols. I am sorry if this messes up your schedule."

There had been no word from Klaue yet, and N'Jobu hoped the man had gotten in and out of Wakanda by now. There would be no contact between himself and Tankiso until after N'Jobu had the cache of vibranium in his hand. And the transfer would happen in Southern California in a small desert city. As long as Klaue didn't contact him while they were stuck on the battlecruiser, they would be fine. It was probably better to be there than in Oakland while the authorities in Sao Paulo tried to track Califia and her friends.

N'Jobu hoped the Atlanteans were just flexing for show and not prepared to go to a real battle. It would be a nightmare for his small family to be caught in the middle of an ancient Wakanda and Atlantis beef.

"As soon as we have word that we can move, I will contact the Fighter and let it know that it can retrieve you and your family."

"Thank you, Captain Yoneli. If you need my assistance-"

"Trust me, Your Highness, we are happy to have your military skills available to us. For now, be with your family. We are just on high alert, and thus far there are no signs of Atlanteans near us."

"I'll return to my quarters," N'Jobu said.

A week out at sea. Safe. Together.

A blessing.

Checking his kimoyo, he sent a cryptic message to Klaue warning him of Wakanda's high alert and that he would be offline for a while. He shot off another one to Tankiso, and he also sent an email to Dante letting him know they were hiding out for a week before returning to Oakland.

Entering his quarters, he found Califia sitting on the small couch shaking. Erik poured water in a glass from a tray on the small table in front of the couch and handed it to her.

"What's wrong, my love?"

N'Jobu sat next to her and touched her shoulder.

"It's my anxiety. I don't have my meds and the noise and lights on this ship…"

"Okay, okay," N'Jobu whispered.

He helped her drink the water and then held her close to his chest. Erik rubbed her back.

"There is an issue back home with another country. Captain Yoneli was told by her commanders that we have to stay put and not move for at least a week. They are on standby in case there is trouble—"

Califia took in a deep breath. He could feel her heart beating fast. He knew it wasn't just the high alert that set her off. She was probably reliving the PTSD of shooting a gun at cops that tried to ambush her.

"Breathe, my love. Breathe. You are here with me and Erik. Safe. All safe. No one can find you here. The noises are just to protect us. The lights are part of the camouflage that keeps us hidden. Relax. Breathe deep. I have you in my arms."

She nodded her head and he felt her body shake less. He couldn't feel her heart hammering anymore.

He tapped his kimoyo bead and summoned Sizani to the room.

The young woman arrived quickly.

"Your Highness?" Sizani said in rapid-fire Wakandan. Her eyes looked beyond concerned when she saw Califia in his arms.

"Could you bring me k'sulea in powder form?"

"Yes."

Sizani left the room quickly.

"How are you feeling now, my love?"

"Better now that you are next to me."

Sizani returned ten minutes later with a small vial.

"Thank you," N'Jobu said.

"Shall I retrieve anything else?"

"No."

"I will bring your evening meal once the Captain gives word that we are in neutral alert."

"Thank you."

Sizani left and Erik gripped the armrest of the couch.

"Baba! We're going down!"

Erik ran to the view screen and they all saw and felt the rapid sinking of the ship into the ocean. He opened the vial and took a bit of the purple powder onto his index finger.

"Open your mouth."

Califia did as he asked and he rubbed the powder on her gums.

"Swallow it down."

"Shit!" she yelped.

He helped her sit back on the couch as the immediate effects of the drug took hold of her. He stroked her cheek, and her eyes dilated. She gripped his hand in hers.

"I feel like I'ma throw up—"

She slammed her eyes shut and then her body relaxed.

"Damn," she uttered, snapping her eyes back open.

Staring at his face she giggled a bit and then sat back up. Her body no longer shook. Taking deep breaths, she calmed all the way down.

"What is that stuff? I feel so smooth right now."

"It's an anxiety med that our soldiers use."

"It's better than my meds, I can tell you that!"

He smiled.

Her eyes went to the viewscreen. Bubbles floated up. Their ascent finally stopped.

"How deep do you think we are, Baba?"

"About a mile underwater. Erik, come here."

His son sauntered back over and he made him sit next to his mother.

"We will have to stay here for a week. Until it is safe to leave this area."

"Cool!" Erik said.

Califia smiled and it made N'Jobu's heart and mind ease up from worry.

"A week on a Wakandan spaceship," she said.

"Can I sleep on the couch? I want to look at the water," Erik said.

"You may sleep on the couch," N'Jobu said.

"Feeling better, Mom?"

"Yes, JaJa. The medicine helped a lot."

He ran back to the viewscreen to stare at the water. Lights from the ship made the undersea world glow with greenish-blue softness.

N'Jobu held onto Califia a little longer.

"We have been through so much," he whispered.

She leaned away from him.

"You've shown me so much," she said, "Erik is floating right now."

N'Jobu watched Erik once more. His son held his hands up against the viewscreen window and he rocked on his toes. When he looked back at them both, he had the biggest, happiest smile on his face.

###

Califia tossed and turned as N'Jobu slept next to her. The anxiety medicine calmed her nerves, but being on the ship still made her mind tangle with all the possibilities their future would now hold as a family.

She could hear Erik snoring on the couch, the remnants of a late-night sugary snack cake on the small table near him while he slept wrapped up completely under a thick blanket. Captain Yoneli and Sizani spoiled him, taking him around the ship despite the fact they were under a red alert. She worried about something happening while Erik was away from her side, but N'Jobu assured her that Erik was protected anywhere he went on the ship.

After eating a private dinner as a family in their quarters, Erik went with Captain Yoneli to sit at the helm for a watch. Califia thought Erik would be bored just sitting, but there was something about being on a floating chair that had the boy enthralled and soaking up everything he saw and heard. His Wakandan grew more fluent being around so many native speakers and she was in awe of how fast he was with the language. He soaked up every inflection and nuance. Talking to his father constantly in only Wakandan aided his speed of mastery in basic phrases. The boy also moved the way his father told him to. Califia saw the gait in his walk shift, watched him observe the crew with his arms behind his back like his father did when interacting with others. Within two days, Erik had all the mannerisms of a young Prince among his people. She found the transformation startling.

Showering and washing her hair, she enjoyed using the advanced hygiene gadgets in the bathroom, especially the hairdryer that made her hair not only dry in less than five minutes but conditioned into a soft and fluffy mass of springy curls. She gave herself two braids and when she stepped out of the bathroom, N'Jobu was lounging on the bed.

His nude body felt warm and smelled like cocoa and coffee. He made her take off the bathrobe she wore and massaged her back for her. His touch excited her.

"We have lost Erik to the helm for good I'm afraid," N'Jobu joked.

"Is everything okay?"

"So far, so good."

"Tell me this N'Jobu. How were you able to convince one thousand soldiers on a battle cruiser to follow you? Every insurrection I have studied, every revolution that has had even a small modicum of success has always had problems organizing in secrecy. Baby, even Malcolm X was betrayed by people that looked like him and came from the same place as him. But you made military soldiers who are supposed to be loyal to their country…loyal to you. Me. Erik."

Her eyes took in his. She was in awe of him. N'Jobu wrapped his arms around her.

"When I did my military stint, Captain Yoneli was my commander. I learned how to fly under her tutelage when I was a teenager. She and I had long conversations while I flew stingers, and at a young age, I knew she was itching to change things in Wakanda. When I was part of her squadron in the service, this warship was under commission to be built. She was chosen to be Captain of this cruiser. I was very fortunate that she had a huge say in who was picked to become soldiers on here. I would say eighty percent of the soldiers on board are personal selections that she knew for sure would be loyal to her no matter what happened on board. The other twenty percent she had to convert."

"What if those who didn't want to follow her chose not to."

"We were prepared to eradicate them. But Captain Yoneli is an exceptional leader. She culled the wheat from the chaff as Nana Jean's bible told us. My will runs this warship."

"You would kill your own for us?"

"Long before I came into my understanding of the world, there were others already on this path. For decades. The only thing they lacked was power at the top. I came in and moved it to the tipping point. Captain Yoneli was the first person to side with me. She led me to others who could be turned my way."

He kissed her temple.

"Ten long years, Califia. And by the end of this one, there will be a new world order."

His strong fingers pushed into her flesh once more, the muscles in her back were manipulated into losing tension and knots. She dropped her head forward and began to groan. It felt like heaven.

"JaJa has become a mini-you," she said stretching her neck muscles from side to side.

She loved the rumble in his voice as he laughed.

"I have seen him strutting around. My warriors are tickled by him."

Warriors. Under his command.

Everything still felt so surreal and she was glad that the anxiety meds he gave her worked so well on her system. Her mind didn't race too much anymore. Califia was able to sit still with the idea of a global rebellion happening. In her lifetime and under her influence. She thought of the Haitian Revolution and the Quilombos of Brazil, and the freedom fighters throughout the Caribbean, and even the rebellions in her own country. The thing they lacked in all of those efforts was the technology and weaponry to overthrow everything. N'Jobu was handing them the keys to the kingdom.

She leaned back into him and he held her breasts in his hands rubbing soft circles under their heft. His lips found her neck and he licked a wet line up to her ear where he nibbled on the tip of her earlobe. Tilting her head, she met his lips with her own. He was forceful with her mouth and had her panting within minutes. Pinching her nipples, he played with them until she heard the small grunts of pleasure huffing from his mouth.

"Lay across my lap."

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and widened his thighs. His hand dropped down and fondled the weight of his dick. Her mouth watered at the sight of it. Pre-cum dribbled from his slit and he stroked the lubricant all over his erection until it was a shiny dark pulsing thickness.

She sprawled across his thighs and turned her head to look at the wall. Rubbing her ass cheeks gently at first, his hand struck her quickly, making the stinging feel of it tingle the sensitive nerve endings in her backside. He held her down and spanked her with an off-kilter rhythm that had her guessing when the next blow would come. Her legs jumped up and he pushed them back down.

"Take it!" he barked at her.

She gasped when his hand came down extra hard and she felt her pussy clench in three hard contractions. He slipped his fingers along her wet slit and twirled the digits at the entrance of her pussy.

"Not good enough. I need you wetter," he said with a gruff voice.

"I'm sorry it's not good enough for you," she pleaded.

His hand was going further back when hit her. She squirmed on his lap as harsh whimpers fell from her saliva-stained lips.

He tore her ass up even as he rubbed each round globe with loving caresses.

"Are you doing well, my love? Can you handle more? Do you need to rest?"

He said the soothing check-in words even as he inserted warm fingers into her frothy opening.

"So ready for me…" he muttered under his breath.

"I can take more-"

The hard palm came down on her before she finished speaking, and when he pinched her left butt cheek, his signal for her to open her legs wider, she felt the biting slaps of his fingers on her engorged vulva. He moved into the not fucking around stage of their spanking session.

When he inserted his fingers into the hot creamy tunnel her pussy had become, she bit her lips and her body grew stiff to try and ward off an orgasm before he gave her permission to have one. His index finger traced the fat bud of her clit and she openly wept, fat juicy tears falling from her lids as she fought the betrayal of her body.

"I'm trying not to cum…"

His probing fingers went deeper and the squelching from her pussy let her know she was beyond wet. She was an ocean gushing all over his thigh. Califia thought she had survived the tortuous touches, even exhaled a strong gust of air from her mouth until he cupped her vulva and pressed into her mound.

She cried out in pleasure and disappointment as her pussy spasmed all over his hand. A thick stream of her internal juices flowed out and coated his fingers. The orgasm was so deep that she peed a little from the intensity. Her pussy continued to twitch uncontrollably. She had to make up for her failure to please him.

"Stand up," she demanded.

"Why?"

His voice was thick with anger, that nasty kind of anger he had when she broke the rules of spanking and edging and cum play. It was a good kind of anger, but what she desired at that moment was to love her man as the royalty he was.

She made him stand up in front of her as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Lifting his penis in her hand, she kissed it and slowly licked it all over. It plumped up even more with her lips wrapped around it, and she kept her eyes on his face. Being on the ship made her so aroused. There was safety there. Everywhere N'Jobu walked, the deference toward him made her clit jump. That sexy way he walked, how his voice dipped and soared speaking his mother tongue.

Stiff beyond reason in her mouth, N'Jobu rested his right hand behind her neck to support it while he fucked her face. Opening her mouth wide, she let him thrust as far back as he wanted, her saliva falling onto her chin and dripping all over his dick. An uninhibited Gwak-Gwak-Gwak sound from her throat had her eyes tearing up again.

He pulled out and tapped his erection on her eager hot tongue.

"Making me feel so good," he said.

"Don't," she said with wanton desire laced in her voice, " don't talk to me in English."

She spread her legs and fingered her sticky pussy lips.

"You used to tell me stories about how the royalty in your family used to have concubines and mistresses. I want to fuck you like I'm not your wife. Fuck me the way you fucked your women in Wakanda."

She couldn't believe what she was saying so openly. It must've been the wine she drank at dinner. She had a lot because it was so good. Potent.

N'Jobu's eyes seemed to darken, especially when they both could hear the loud vulgar sounds of her pussy. She was a fucking waterfall.

"Fuck me, Your Highness."

He stuffed his dick down her throat and squeezed her right breast. His words to her were guttural and she groaned as she sucked his juicy dick. He had used Wakandan words on her before when they made love, but to have him speak nothing but that made her dizzy. She also noticed a difference in his treatment of her. There was a haughty disdain in how he fucked her mouth. It turned her on even more. He had completely slipped into his natural role as a Prince. She had become a vessel for his pleasure.

Licking and sucking his fat sack, he cursed her out. Gripping her chin and lips, he squeezed them tight, while glaring at her. He even slapped her face when she whined over him taking his dick out of her mouth when she wasn't ready for it to be gone. The slap shocked her, but his eyes were on fire. He was in the zone. She was just his mistress. She was there to serve him and nothing more. It wound her up in a tight ball of heat and lust and total abandonment.

N'Jobu bent down and inserted two fingers inside of her and she gasped at the roughness in his fingers. His voice was saying things that made her walls clench tighter. He fucked her mouth again and cursed at her. Her lips were wrapped snug around his tip, and as he stared down at her, he slapped her again. The sting of it made her eyes wet and she whimpered when her clit kept thumping because of it.

Both of his hands held her head and he went deep into her throat. She gagged and tried pulling back, but that made him angrier, and the bass in his voice forced her to roll her tongue under the base of his dick as he shouted her name several times.

Gripping his dick, he pulled out suddenly and held her face still with his other hand as cum splashed all over her face. He stepped back from her and stared at the mess he made. Grabbing her by the throat, he lifted her up and then threw her back down on the bed. Beating his still erect dick in his hand, he forced her legs open and thrust into her. Her back jack-knifed up with his hard thrusts and he made her scream his name. Whatever words he shouted to her made her body react. Her pussy was snug around his thickness. N'Jobu held her ankles by her ears and the pounding he gave her had her weeping harder. Jesus fucking Christ. No wonder past Udaku men had to have so many different women to cater to them. Her man was beating the shit out of her pussy. That dick was hitting the sides of her walls hard to the point where she couldn't breathe in a steady flow.

Forcing her onto her stomach, N'Jobu made her lie flat on the bed, her thighs wide as he took her from behind in that position. His left hand held her neck down as he daddy long-stroked her pussy. Cussing another blue streak, his moans made her beg him to cum inside of her. He yanked on her hair forcing her head up, and he fucked her with his full weight pressed down on her.

"Jobu…too much…"

The hard slaps of his groin against her ass and the cursing he did in her ear made her lose control. How did those women handle this shit? It was a brutal ecstasy. She wanted it to go on and she wanted it to stop at the same time.

"God!"

She came so hard on him and bit the sheets on the bed. Her fingers were tangled up in the blanket and her toes were full of cramps.

He pulled up off of her soaking wet body and slapped her ass. He told her to get up in Wakandan as he sprawled out on his back. He held his dick firmly in his hand and fisted it, commanding her to sit on him. She wiped sweat from her face and stared at him. He gestured for her to get on his dick.

"Jobu…"

He tilted his head. His eyes looked hot. He asked her a question that she didn't understand. His eyes went even darker.

She crawled over to him. He didn't help her as she mounted him, his eyes closing as his voice hissed with pleasure.

"Jobu…baby…"

Mere slits, his eyes took in her breasts as they jiggled when she wound her hips on him. She leaned forward so he could suck on her nipples and play with her tits. Eventually, his hands relaxed at his sides and he just watched her move up and down.

Thick and firm inside her pussy, she rode his dick, wiggling her hips in wide circles as he panted from her exertion.

Lush Wakandan fell from his lips, the demand explicit in his tone. She was to fuck him as a good mistress should. She leaned forward and shifted her weight and pace. It made him groan aloud and ball up his fists. He refused to touch her. She was to please him without any effort from him.

"Prince N'Jobu, do I please you?"

"Ohhhh…."

"Do I make you happy, Your Highness?"

He grit his teeth and the back of his head dropped back onto his pillow.

"Look at my pussy."

His eyes drifted to her folds. She squeezed her walls around his shaft as she went up and down and his mouth fell open watching her take his dick like a skilled royal mistress.

"My Prince…"

She leaned back as her hips swiveled even slower in an erotic dance. Her breasts dangled near his mouth. His hands shot up to palm her titties, and when he squeezed them, his erection grew fatter and he shouted his orgasm, releasing inside of her. His cumming flowed in four waves of hard spurts and when he drained his balls into her, she lifted up so he could see how much he filled her pussy. There was so much semen. She rubbed her clit allowing his cum to coat all of her folds. His face grew rigid watching her play with herself.

"I'm cumming…" she gasped.

The tight pulses in her pussy made him groan, especially when more of his ejaculate pooled out.

"I'll want you again later," he said.

"That was a lot, baby."

"You can't handle being my mistress?"

His voice teased her. She slapped his face gently across the cheek.

N'Jobu took her again in the shower, shoving her back against the wall as he lifted her legs and thrust into her.

"My Prince…my Prince…"

She panted endearments in his ear and dropped to her knees for him so he could ejaculate on her face once more. He washed her when he was done and put her to bed sated and sleepy.

The next morning it felt like the mood had shifted on the warship. N'Jobu had an early meeting with Captain Yoneli, so she and Erik had breakfast together in the quarters before heading to the gym to use stationary bikes together. Sizani stayed by their side.

They visited the onboard barbershop and Erik had his hair cut, and for some reason, Califia decided to cut all her hair off again.

"You look so cool Mom," Erik said.

"We’re heading into something new, JaJa," she said touching her scalp.

The barber was very reverential with her. She took a piece of paper and a pen and drew some lines on it. Showing it to the barber, he nodded his head and switched out blades in his clippers. She had the barber put the same designs on her head, and when they were finished there, she held Erik's hand as they walked around the more relaxed ship.

N'Jobu caught up with them for lunch in their quarters. He touched her shorn scalp along the designs cut into it. She could tell he liked it.

"No sign of any adversaries. We're going to yellow alert. The ship will still stay here for another five days. I was able to send another message to your father and let him know we are well. We'll be going back up to the surface in an hour. The plan is to stay above the surface during the day, and stay under at night."

Califia was happy to hear that they were going to be fine. She didn't ask too many questions about their enemy. She had to admit that she was getting quite comfortable staying there. All of their needs were met. Was this how it would be in Wakanda? She and Erik freely doing as they pleased while N'Jobu made the world go round?

They stood as a family on a mid-level deck viewscreen window as the warship traveled back up to the surface. Once the ship was secured above water, the yellow alert dropped back down to stand-by orders.

N'Jobu was in a good mood. Eyes bright, he looked at Califia and Erik with a grin on his face.

"How would you two like to go swimming?"

"In the open ocean?" Califia said with an incredulous look on her face.

N'Jobu tapped the borrowed kimoyo bead from Captain Yoneli on his wrist.

"I would like three submersible suits brought to my quarters and a pilot boat made ready for my family," he said into the bead.

Returning to their room, Sizani and another male soldier arrived promptly with blue-black suits made from a skin-like material that became accurate body gloves around them.

"All you have to do is tap the suit here and the protective headgear will surround your face. You can breathe like normal and the suit will keep your core temperature normal."

He rubbed Califia's shoulder.

"Don't be scared. I've done this a lot myself."

"The sea is so big, N'Jobu—"

"Mom! C'mon, this is awesome!"

Erik pressed his suit and his head was suddenly enveloped in a soft helmet.

"Sweet!" he said.

###

The sea was calm, and skies across the placid ocean were cloud-free.

N'Jobu tried his best to reassure Califia that swimming in the open waters was safe. She spoke of sharks and rogue waves and so many scary things that the soldiers that were there to protect them giggled at her.

They climbed down a low ramp that led them to the small pilot boat that he moved only two hundred feet from the warship. Erik and Califia's eyes stared at the massive battleship as they moved away from it and when he stopped the hum of the smooth-sounding motor, they watched the warship disappear before their eyes.

He hopped into the water first and eased Erik out. It took a few minutes to coax Califia out, but once they were all in the water, they frolicked and splashed water on one another. Diving under, he showed them how easy it was to maneuver underwater and to communicate with their suits.

"Erik, stay close," N'Jobu said as he watched his son dive down further away from them. Califia stayed under the pilot boat, and her eyes told him to stay near Erik to ease her fears. He had to remind himself that he was raised in wonder and they were not.

When Califia seemed a little too nervous with Erik exploring, N'Jobu guided their son back up to the surface. By then, Califia had relaxed. He helped her get back onto the pilot boat.

"We can have lunch on the boat and sunbathe if you want, my love," N'Jobu said.

"I would like that."

"Adjust the temperature inside your suit—"

"Baba!"

N'Jobu turned quickly at the sound of his son's agitated voice automatically cloaking them in a protective shield.

His eyes scanned the water and once he saw what made his son shout, N'Jobu felt a grace descend on him.

A humpback whale breached the surface, the leviathan's body rising above them so close that N'Jobu reached out to hold Erik against him in the water. The massive body kept rising, barely fifty feet away from them.

"Oh my God, N'Jobu! Look at that!" Califia said.

"Mom, look!"

Erik pointed excitedly at the rest of the pod following the lead humpback.

"They are migrating with their young," N'Jobu said.

"Erik!" Califia shouted.

Their son dove under the water. Califia jumped out of the boat and N'Jobu followed her chasing after Erik.

"Erik come back. Baby, it's not safe!" Califia yelled.

N'Jobu tapped his suit and the small jet propulsion motors in his suit shot him swiftly through the water. He grabbed ahold of Erik's leg and stopped him.

"Be still, my son," N'Jobu whispered.

"N'Jobu!"

"I have him, Califia."

"Baba."

"I know. I see them."

N'Jobu felt Califia's hand on his arm and he pulled her in close.

"So many," Erik said.

They watched the whales move in smooth harmony through the ocean, the blue-green waters were broken up with the streaks of sunlight slicing through.

"They are attracted to the vibranium," N'Jobu said.

"N'Jobu!"

Califia gripped his arm tight as another humpback swam above them close enough to touch.

"Be still, my love. You are safe."

Erik reached up and his covered fingers touched the majestic animal. He laughed and the sound of his voice was music to N'Jobu's ears.

"Mom, touch it before it goes away!"

Califia reached up and N'Jobu touched the creature with her. She was overwhelmed. They stayed put until all the whales had moved past them.

"Let's return to the pilot boat," he said.

He held both their hands as he used his jet motors to go back.

Releasing their faces from the helmets with a swipe of their fingers, they all chattered with excitement until Califia started crying.

"Mom?"

"It was so beautiful. The way they moved as a unit. Their size. They seemed so delicate. Like they were dancing."

Erik reached over and hugged Califia as she wiped her eyes.

They ate a filling lunch and took off their suits to sunbathe in their underwear. Erik stared up at the sky.

"A satellite can't see us. Planes can't see us. Navy ships can't see us. We are magic, huh Baba?"

"I guess we are," N'Jobu said.

The water grew choppy and N'Jobu took them back to the warship where soldiers helped them come back on board safely.

Dinner was spent in Captain Yoneli's private quarters and Erik excitedly described in great detail his experience with the whales.

After the warship submerged for the night, Califia returned to their quarters with Erik to prepare for bed and N'Jobu stayed with Yoneli and shared a secret stash of plum liquor.

"You are blessed to have such a beautiful family, Your Highness. I feel sad that you have hidden them for so long," Yoneli said.

N'Jobu didn't expect a lump in his throat to form, but the Captain's eyes were warm and filled with pride.

"You have turned into a remarkable man Prince N'Jobu."

She held her slim glass of plum liquor toward him. They clinked glasses.

"May we bring the world to its knees," she said.

N'Jobu took a solemn walk around the warship before he returned to his quarters.

Erik was curled up on the couch and Califia was a tight ball on their bed. Stripping down to his underwear, N'Jobu spooned around her and kissed her cheek.

"Today was a good day," she whispered to him.

"Today was an amazing day," he concurred.

They kissed slow and long, their tongues swirling together until they both heard the soft pads of Erik's feet.

"Mom, Baba…listen."

N'Jobu sat up and saw Erik standing by the window.

"Whalesong," Califia said.

They joined their son at the window and watched the pod of whales float like gentle giant angels near the warship. The deep rich bellowing sounds they made was a lullaby for his family.

The shine in Erik's and Califia's eyes let N'Jobu know that he had to win the world for them.

They deserved it.

###

Chapter 31 Finale HERE.

###

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#Black Boys Bloom Thorns First Volume 2 #N'Jobu #Prince N'Jobu #Killmonger #N'Jobu Fanfiction #Black Panther fanfiction #Little Erik Killmonger

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goddessofthundathighs · 5 years ago

Text

Dreams & Nightmares

I apologize in advance for this. It’s been sitting in my drafts forever and finally finished it.

“Good morning Dr. Stevens, you look lovely today,” Raven quipped as her boss walked through the double doors of the dispensary. Since today was Friday, she opted for a casual look pairing a light denim button up with distressed denim jeans and her Prive Louboutin peep toes.

“Good morning Raven. What’s my schedule like today?”

“You have two interns to interview, a conference call with the FDA, and your usual lunch date with Charlie Jade and the babies at 2:00.” Hennessy smiled before turning to walk back towards her office. She was thankful that she had a pretty light day, hoping that she’d be able to take the rest of the day off after lunch with Charlie. Erik was away on business in Wakanda and she had been working longer hours to keep herself busy. She loved Charlie because she was always willing to watch after Harmony and allow her to vent when she needed to. It made Erik’s absence a lot more bearable.Smiling at the thought of her husband, she sent him a quick text letting him know that she missed and loved him.

“Ok Chiron, let’s get this day started.”

After about three continuous hours of work, Hennessy took notice to how quiet it was in the dispensary. Fridays were usually pretty jam packed, mostly with younger patrons filling their prescriptions in preparation for the weekend, so the quiet was a bit startling. When she stood to investigate, she was pushed back inside by Raven.

“Call Mr. Stevens, now!” was all she said before running back out of the room. Hennessy was confused to say the least and was about to head out behind Raven until the sounds of screams and gunfire stopped her in her tracks. She panicked and fumbled with the buttons on her kimoyo beads, knowing this would be the quickest way to get in touch with her husband. Before she could complete the call she felt a sharp sting in her abdomen before the entire room went dark.

------------

The sunset was always the most beautiful thing to Erik about Wakanda. The way the pinks, golds, and oranges of the sky faded into a soft lavender signaling the beginning of nightfall would never get old to him. He was currently in his office of the great palace working on diplomatic trade agreements and missing his tiny doctor. His heart always missed her more when he was out of the country, mostly because he couldn’t just drive to her office to pester her while she worked. He glanced at his kimoyo beads, noting that it was 8:30 in the morning and that she had probably just made it to the office.

“I’ll let her get settled and then I’ll call her,” he thought aloud as he read over his emails. The trill of his kimoyo beads pulled him from work. She must’ve known she was on my mind he said before going to answer.

“Wassup Princess?” He asked before the line went dead. “Weird. Lemme call her back.” After a few failed attempts, he gave up thinking she might’ve mistakenly called him and went back to work.

T’Challa whistled cheerfully, leaving the throne room following a meeting with the council and the Jabari tribe. Challenge Day was coming up and he wanted to make sure everything was perfect. As he headed towards his cousin’s office, his mother stopped him with tears in her eyes.

“Mother, why are you crying?”

“T-There’s been an incident. The princess -,” she tried, but choked on her words.

“Did something happen to Shuri?” M’Baku inquired as he walked up to the pair. Ramonda shook her head no and attempted to explain what she had just saw once again, but again choked.

“I am fine, M’Baku,” Shuri’s voice called from behind her mother. The men noted that she had been crying as well.

“There was an active shooter in Hennessy’s lab. There were many casualties and she didn’t --”

T’Challa held his hand up before she could finish and held his mother while she wept.

“Does N’Jadaka know?” M’Baku asked.

“Is the palace collapsing?” Nakia quipped. T’Challa wiped his mother’s tears before straightening himself.

“I’ll tell him.”

“Are you sure, son?” T’Challa nodded before venturing down the hall.

“I’ll go with him,” M’Baku added as he followed. “He cannot throw me off a cliff.”

The walk to Erik’s office seemed a lot longer than usual. The men walked in stifling silence, dreading the beast that rested on the other side of the door. T’Challa knocked twice before walking into the office.

“N’Jadaka, we have some news,” M’Baku started.

“Wassup?” Erik asked not bothering to look up from his notes.

“Umm.. Well.. There was an active shooter..” T’Challa tried, finding the same difficulty his mother had when she tried to explain it to him.

“Uh huh,” Erik replied hoping they’d just say whatever they had to say so he could finish his notes and take the Talon back home.

“There’s no point in beating around the bush,” M’Baku rushed. “There was an active shooter at Hennessy’s lab. She along with several others didn’t..” he began choking up as well. “Fuck.. This is a lot harder to say out loud that I thought.” To their surprise, Erik began chuckling.

“That’s real funny, y’all. Princess called me not too long ago.”

“Did you talk to her?”

“No. The line went dead before…” He paused, realization suddenly flashing across his face.

“A-Ain’t no way..”

“We wouldn’t dare joke about something like this,” M’Baku added, sniffling softly.

“N-No.. Not my Shy..” tears clouded his vision as he looked down at his phone to see thousands of missed calls and messages from the other princesses. Erik ran as fast as he could to the Talon with the Dora hot on his tail. They made it back to the States in record time and Erik sped to the dispensary. The scene was surrounded with yellow police tape and bystanders trying to determine what had happened. Erik bypassed them all, pushing his way inside.

“Where is she?! Where the fuck is she?!” he screamed as he continued to push past the officers.

“Erik I can’t let you go in there,” Raven cried as she rushed to his side.

“I-I gotta see her, Rae. I have to,” he sniffled.

“Trust me, you don’t want to see her like that,” Raven pleaded again, holding her hands against his chest. It didn’t work. He continued forward, pushing Raven backwards in the process.

“Erik please.”

“Raven move!” he growled. Raven finally sighed and stepped to the side.

“Fine,” she sniffled. “She didn’t even make it out of her office.” Erik nodded, walking until he stopped at the doorway of the princess’s office. He stopped when he saw her, unable to contain his emotions. She was laying in a pool of her own blood, eyes still open and frozen in fear. Her denim shirt was bloodstained and there was a quarter-sized hole in her chest. He kneeled down next to her, lip quivering as he took in the scene. In that moment he was transported back to his apartment in Oakland, cradling her body the way he did his father’s when he found him. He rocked her body back and forth, trying in vain to wake her up. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her lips, hoping she’d start giggling like she would when he would do it in the morning, but she remained silent and still.

“B-Baby no. You gotta wake up. I-I need you.” He turned his head to see Raven standing in the doorway crying.

“I-I tried to distract him. I rushed in and told her to call you and I went back out and slipped on some blood that was on the floor and hit my head. When I came to, it was over. I’m so sorry, Erik.”

“I-It’s not your fault, but my daughter… Fuck man!”

------------

Night blanketed The Kompound in darkness. All the babies were sound asleep and each wife in her respective living quarters except Hennessy. The tiny doctor was in the greenhouse doing some research for her latest strain. Due to their time in the military as well as other life experiences, both Aly’Sha and Erik suffered terrible nightmares as a result of their PTSD. She was looking into a healthier method of curing the pair that didn’t involve unhealthy addictions to medications. Upstairs, Erik tossed and turned violently before shooting up out of his sleep. He was sweating and panting hard, frantically searching the room for any signs of his first wife.

“Shy! Hennessy!” he yelled, his fear heightening when he didn’t get a response. He quickly threw on a pair of joggers, sprinting downstairs at high speed. He caught a glimpse of her puff through the windows of her greenhouse and ran full speed until she was secure in his grasp.

“Erik what the hell?” she screeched, caught completely off guard by his outburst. He didn’t answer immediately, instead he buried his face in the bend of her neck.

“Oh, je croyais t'avoir perdu. Putain, mon cœur fait très mal.”

“Wait baby, slow down. What happened?” He bit his lip, trying hard not to cry as he stared down at her.

“I-I had a dream you got killed at the lab and it felt so real.. Fuck..” He held her tighter as she stroked his cheek.

“Aww baby. I’m right here, alive and in the flesh,” she cooed, gently massaging her fingers through his dreads. He hummed softly, rocking their bodies from side to side before moving to sit down on the lounge chair. He buried his face in her stomach, loving the way her plush body felt against him.

“I’m right here, Daka,” she kept repeating until she was sure he’d calmed down enough. He ran his fingertips over her legs and thighs before settling them around her waist.

“Can I be your shadow today?”

“After a dream like that, I don’t think you’d take no for an answer,” she teased, turning her attention back to her notebook.

“What you working on, Mrs. Genius?”

“A new strain. Working on something for sufferers of PTSD.”

“Ah. Have you started growing it yet?”

“Not yet, still researching.” He nodded again, softly nuzzling her stomach like a cat. He smiled down at him, mildly amused by his reaction to the dream.

“I can’t believe you thought I’d die by some punk ass active shooter. We survived the Thanos snap for crying out loud!”

“Technically I was cryogenically frozen,” he corrected, earning himself a smack on the head.

Translation:

Oh, je croyais t'avoir perdu. Putain, mon cœur fait très mal. (Oh, I thought I lost you. My heart hurts alot.)

Tags: @hearteyes-for-killmonger @trevantesbrat @blackpantherismyish @mareethequeen @muse-of-mbaku @blowmymbackout @forbeautyandlife @niggernextdoor @amethyst1993 @killmongersgurl @chaneajoyyy @killmongerdispussy @jozigrrl @thehomierobbstark @iamrheaspeaks @whatmoredoyouwantamericaa @madamslayyy @vikkidc @supersizemeplz @purple-apricots @panthergoddessbast @thadelightfulone

#vanity writes #my shit #erik stevens #erik x henny #the kompound #henny fic

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kathyhepinstallparks-blog · 7 years ago

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On Golden Pond

As a problem and an entertainment film, “On Golden Pond” is apparently a surprise film arguing explicitly for the value of Hollywood-formulaic entertainment. Directed by Mark Rydell, the film was authored by Ernest Thompson from his play. The movie ensures success by casting Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn as a loving couple even through their later stages of life (Cohen, 2009). The film offers its audiences vast of significant contemporary themes. The most obvious themes, however, are the cultural, biological, psychological, and the social aspects of aging and the bond between the lovely couple starred in this movie.

On Golden Pond is a film, which mainly captures family relations. Vast of contemporary issues are presented in the film such as the challenges that individuals go through when growing old, handling the aging parents, gender issues, the relationship between a woman and a man as well as the problems of being a girl child in a highly patriarchal family. The paper, on the other hand, puts its emphasis on the cultural, social, psychological and biological phenomena brought out in the movie, how it manifests on the major characters, as well as how this affects the family relationship. Before delving further by looking into some of the major themes in the film, it would be imperative to outline a brief synopsis of the movie. Ernest Thompson originally wrote the play when he was 28. Ostensibly, some of the primary objectives he presented in the play were exploring the issues concerning families, particularly issues of rage, age, regret; love unspoken, love withheld, forgiveness, disappointment, acceptance and renewal (Cohen, 2009).

On Golden Pond is one of the contemporary movies, which is very easy to understand. The plot is not complicated, making it very easy for different audiences to understand. There are numerous modern aspects discussed in the film, all of which are presented straightforwardly and clearly. Even so, it requires a lot of sensitivity to feel the tension existing between Norman and Chelsea. The movie is set in the cottage of Ethel and Norman on a lake, giving the film its name “On Golden Pond.” Despite the fact that the house where the play takes place is old, it is still beautiful and looking comfortable. The couple, Ethel, and Norman is already in their old age. Norman is a common controlling parent who, if allowed to make a choice, would opt for a male child rather than a female one. His character is apparently the outcome of diverse sociological forces, which have allowed him to feel as powerful as he purports to be.

First, Norman is a retired professor of English. As a former expert in English, he has the habit of conducting lectures in front of docile and impressionable students. As a teacher, he assumed the full control of his students, an assumption that is explicitly presented in the movie. He discusses and talks about things with his pupils with minimal to no objection. The students have to accept his commands. The film also displays the skillful nature of Norman when it comes to playing with and handling words. He is an excellent verbal competitive and apparently, this is how he controls people. He might be managing people, but in a very tactical manner (Cohen, 2009). That is, he does it differently from other people. His choices of words trip people up with changing the course of discussions or unexpected queries.

The social perception through aging as a theme is elaborated in the movie. The audience in the film encounters a family at the center of dealing with frustrations and tensions of moving through the life cycle of Erik Erikson. The theory formulated by Erikson has based on the credence that life is a continuous process of development and that maturity does not mark the end of psychological growth (Shiraev & Levy, 2009). The writer of “On Golden Pond” believes that every stage of the human lifecycle has a challenge, which has to be met to advance to the next developmental stage in a healthy and whole manner. According to him, the developmental stages apparently vary and overlap to large degree contingent on the environmental and the individual circumstances. The social stages of development apply to the characters portrayed in the film.

Looking at the five individuals in the movie it is clear that every one of them is struggling with the challenges and issues at different stages of their life cycle. Bill Ray is a thirteen-year-old boy in the play, challenged by the problems clarified in the adolescent’s fifth stage of life cycle by Erikson. In this stage according to the writer, the individual is classically 13-17 years old and fights the issue of forming a role-confusion versus identity (Cohen, 2009). At this stage, an individual starts developing the ability to look at things from the other people’s point of view. During this stage, the youths have to develop a sense of their identity as personally acceptable and distinct from others, or they will settle or be confused on negative characters. In connection with this movie, Bill Ray feels like he is being dumped on Ethel and Norman Thayer because he is taking his father’s side and the potential European vacation of his stepmother. However, he comes to realize that this was not the case when he starts being friends with Norman.

The thirteen-year-old boy’s interaction with Norman makes him develop a socializing character. The relationship also makes him feel cared for, and he feels like having fun. He takes in instructions, discipline, and role modeling, making him form a self-perspective having a higher degree of self-worth as compared to how he was when he came to the Golden Pond. Indeed, it is evident from the movie that forming a positive and realistic sense of self-worth is a critical challenge in the phase of development of adolescents. Norman, Chelsea, and Ethel’s daughter is in Erikson’s stage of Middle-Adulthood Life Cycle (Shiraev & Levy, 2009). She is experiencing the problem of becoming self-absorbed or generativity. It is at this point, where an individual might become concerned about his or her family.

The theory of psychosocial development by Erik Erikson is one of the best-known personality in psychology theories. Erikson believed that there are six individual stages in personality development (Shiraev & Levy, 2009). The film of the On Golden Pond displays the various psychological stages through each character. Norman Thayer, for example, demonstrates the last stage of psychosocial development, which he shows through despair vs. integrity. In the film, Norman is pessimistic and bitter. In most occasions in the movie, he recounts how old he is, and even asserts that he is “ancient.” Conversely, Ethel Thayer is optimistic about things. In the play, the two prepares for the eightieth birthday of Norman. Ethel reads a letter from Chelsea, their daughter, saying that they will be joining her father for his birthday together with her fiancé and his son. Instead of celebrating the surprise visit letter of her daughter, Norman acts obscene and disinterested. He does many things other than this reaction to demonstrate this psychosocial life stage. Ethel is also in the last stage of psychosocial development according to Erikson. She is more on the side of integrity, showing that she is excitable and nurturing. Many occasions in the movie, she demonstrates how she is satisfied with life and often feels accomplished. She is interested in the loons and sees the beauty in things. Often, she refers to the loons and compares it with her life in the movie.

The biological aspect of aging is also captured exclusively in the film. The movie, in many instances, demonstrates Norman’s struggles to maintain his physical integrity. He does not lose his competence because of his age. On the contrary, he strives to prove that despite the fact that his tissues are wearing off, his mind is still clear and remains smart in abstract reasoning. The two elderly couple, however, displays the wound of mortality in different ways. The biological make-up between Normal and Ethel ostensibly speaks out to support the significant difference in their behaviors at old age. They both focus on maintaining their activities and sexuality, explaining why they behave so differently (Shiraev & Levy, 2009). The starring characters in On Golden Pond face numerous biological challenges during this phase of life including mental functioning, illnesses as well as coming to terms with an individual’s approaching death. All sorts of unhealthy and healthy biological maneuvers surface because of the stresses the aging couple faces at this last stage of development.

The existing research on various aspects of aging ranging from biological, psychosocial, social to cultural issues has a close connection to the experience in “On Golden Pond” (MacDonald, 2013). Therefore, I wholeheartedly agree with how the various views are presented in the film. In the contemporary society, the case that males are valued more than females is almost universal. Different social institutions, as well as customs sub, serve women to men. Besides, it is true that the burden of patriarchal power has dominated the social, political, economic, and not limited to family life. The male genders have globally assumed the essential societal roles whereas their female counterparts have remained debarred. The men are standing out to be the superior gender concerning their sociological and biological aspects. The women, as expected are subordinate to men owing to their weaknesses and physical shortcomings caused by their biological make-up. Concisely, just like the incidences in the movie, the place of women in the society remains limited within their home boundaries and their roles as supporters and wives of their husbands. Such kind of power plays between men and women’s roles. The manner in which the roles mentioned above affect the family is brought out in On Golden Pond.

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